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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28078980">A Gay Happy Meeting</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingfortherainbow/pseuds/lookingfortherainbow'>lookingfortherainbow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Artist Liam Payne, Christmas Shopping, First Kiss, First Meetings, Flirting, Holidays, M/M, Meet-Cute, Shopping Malls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:34:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28078980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingfortherainbow/pseuds/lookingfortherainbow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>His finger traced over the painting that was of a soft, snowy, still night in the little park with the old lamposts him and his mum used to walk through when he was little. </p><p>“Do you fancy it?” </p><p>Startled from his reverie, Zayn remembered the man at the counter. His breath was a little short from the surprise, but it left him even quicker when he saw the man’s face up close, a delicate curl hanging over one brown eye. </p><p>“I do. Um, are you,” Zayn looked down at the signature on one of the paintings, “Liam Payne?”</p><p>The man nodded, “Guilty.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zayn Malik/Liam Payne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Gay Happy Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The shopping mall was crowded on the evening that Zayn finally had time to do christmas shopping for his family. He loved the holidays, but the crowds were horrible and his skin was crawling with the irrational thought that everyone was staring at him. Anxiety was his worst enemy, and he’d love to be one of the cheery people leisurely roaming the aisles of the different shops inside. Instead, he had to keep his eyes trained on his feet as he walked from store to store, only finding some relief when he sat down to rest for a bit in a secluded corner of the food court. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hanging from the ceiling in several different parts of the mall were glorious green, red, silver and gold bulbs, large enough that they’d take a semi to move them. In the food court there was a christmas tree trimmed with twinkling lights and silver sashes, smaller than the more heavily decorated one in the center of the mall, but still nice to look at as Zayn tried to quell his nerves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still didn’t know what to get his mom, and it irked him that he’d spent three hours already, suffocating in the stuffy air and his heavy coat. Rubbing his sweaty palms on his trousers, he decided he’d look online, because he’d had enough of the mall to last him a lifetime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On getting off the escalator, he steeled himself for the fact he’d have to walk past yet another kiosk. They were the worst, the sellers of the trinkets that were overpriced, always seeming at the last minute to approach Zayn like some kind of characters in a halloween maze that was designed to scare the shit out of people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chancing a glance up from his swiftly moving feet, he caught a glimpse of the man in the kiosk, head slumped on his one hand, elbow resting on the counter. He looked absolutely devastated and bored, and Zayn, despite himself, felt bad for him. The man hadn’t noticed him yet, and that was the only reason Zayn allowed his eyes to shift to the paintings that were displayed on the kiosk’s shelves. He slowed down, realizing at a more thorough look that there were little lights embedded somehow into the canvas, making the painting come alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This--this was something he could get his mum. As long as it didn’t cost him his soul. Hesitantly, he made his way over, keeping his eyes trained on the paintings. Most of them were winter themed, beautiful scenery with snow covering old farms or skyscrapers in a city that looked very American or Big Ben or little squares that Zayn recognized as ones he’d walked through before in Bradford. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His finger traced over the painting that was of a soft, snowy, still night in the little park with the old lamposts him and his mum used to walk through when he was little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you fancy it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Startled from his reverie, Zayn remembered the man at the counter. His breath was a little short from the surprise, but it left him even quicker when he saw the man’s face up close, a delicate curl hanging over one brown eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. Um, are you,” Zayn looked down at the signature on one of the paintings, “Liam Payne?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man nodded, “Guilty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are breathtaking,” Zayn commented. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“D’you really think so?” Liam asked, his voice sounding unsure and more than a little skeptical. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m no Picasso,” Zayn joked, “But I know a thing or two about art. And I’ve been to this place. You’ve captured it perfectly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Liam perked up “That’s my favorite spot to stroll through. Evenings in the winter are beautiful there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used to play in the snow there when I was little,” Zayn recounted, getting a little lost in his memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he looked over at Liam again, he blushed at how the artist was staring at him, head tilted, curiosity in his calm expression. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This place looks like one I’d only ever see on the background of a computer,” Zayn moved on, pointing to the skyscraper painting. “Do you travel to every location you paint?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Liam nodded, eyes brightening. “I spent two whole years traveling to different countries to paint a lot of these. Granted, the places I stayed in were anything but pretty, but the scenery was what I cared about, so I didn’t mind. It’s left me with not a lot of savings, but I’m rich in experience.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zayn studied the delicate lines and intricate details captured in the art and wondered, while looking at Liam’s hands, what else he was experienced in. “So, you’re the starving artist type, hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could say that. What kind of artist are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well, I, um, dabble in graffiti,” Zayn shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Liam’s eyebrows shot up. “So, you’re the broody, edgy artist type?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can call graffiting walls with pictures of Green Lantern destroying his enemies edgy,” Zayn laughed, feeling his face grow hot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An edgy artist with a geeky side,” Liam mused, shaking his head as he studied Zayn. “You’re a man after my own heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your paintings,” Zayn jumped in, flirting before he could think about it, and immediately clamping up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Liam’s face was one of shock. “Wait, you really want to buy one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I avoid kiosks like the plague. I wouldn’t have come over here if I didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wow,” Liam awed, looking flustered, “well, um, I’m glad they caught your eye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t all that caught my eye,” Zayn grinned, testing the waters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pink on Liam’s cheeks looked so right on his skin tone. Zayn wanted to feel the heat underneath with his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zayn pointed out that he wanted the one of the park, knowing his mum would love it. Liam wrapped it with such care before placing it in a bag. The movements of his fingers entranced Zayn a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any chance I could paint you some time?” Liam asked, cautiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me your phone, and you can text me when,” Zayn breathed, a little shocked at himself for being so straightforward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He plugged his number into Liam’s phone, and looked up to see Liam staring at him wide eyed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Zayn, by the way,” he murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the next moment, he lurched forward, up on his toes to bend over the counter slightly, his lips meeting Liam’s own in a short peck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you,” Liam whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Likewise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Zayn left with a perfect gift for his mum, and a date planned for the upcoming weekend. He grew a special appreciation for kiosks after that. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you'd like to reblog the little fic post I made for this series, <a href="https://andtheywerebandmates.tumblr.com/post/636606796721717248/its-december-and-i-wanted-to-do-something">click here</a></p><p>Thank you to all who've read, commented, and left kudos! &lt;333</p></blockquote></div></div>
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